Machine for trimming curled hat-brims.



Patented Aug. l9, I902 F. C. GRAW.

MACHINE FOR TBIMMING GUBLED HAT BRIMS.

(Application-filed Apr. 19, i900.

(No Model.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

. HHI IIIHHHHI MINIMUM HHH IIHHII.

INVENTOR W rates at r FFlCE.

FRANK C. CRANV, OF SOUTH NORWALK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- IIALF TOWILLIS R. AUSTIN AND WILLIAM N. ORAW, DOING BUSINESS UNDER FIRM-NAME OFAUSTIN AND CRAW, OF SOUTH'NORWALK, CON- NECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR TRIMMING CURLED HAT--BRIMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 707,392, dated August19, 1902.

Application filed April 19, 1900. Serial No. 13,487. (No model.)

To CLZZ/ whom, it IN/[(1] concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK O. CRAW, a citizen of the United States,residing at South Norwalk, county of Fairfield, State of Con- 5necticut, have invented a new and useful Machine for Trimming CurledHat-Brims, of which the following is a specification. 7 My invention hasfor its object to provide a machine for performing the operation in the10 art of hat-making variously known as trimming, paring, or planing thebrims of curled hats, which will perform the operation while the hatsare still on the curlingblocks, will be self-adjusting to differentsizes of hats and to different syles of hats that do not involve changesin the width of the curl, and which shall require but the change ofasingle part to adapt the machine to different widths of curls. Withthese ends in view I have devised the simple, inexpensive, andeasily-operated brim-trimming machine, which I will now describe,referring to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, and using reference characters to designate the severalparts.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine complete; Fig. 2, a verticalsection, on an enlarged scale, of the rotating arm and head,

0 the cam-gear being shown as having made a quarter-turn from theposition in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2; Fig. 4,a section on the line at 4. in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a detail elevationand plan of one form 5 of cutter, on a still larger scale, with the endof the arm by which it is carried.

A denotes framework of any preferred construction or design andcomprising an upper arm 10 and a lower arm 11. 12 denotes a dependingrod which is rigidly but adjustably secured in arm 10, as by a set-screw13, and 1% denotes a rod which is vertically movable in arm 11. Rod 14:is held against rotary movement in the arm by means of a spline- 5and-groove connection, as at 15. The lower end of said rod is pivoted toa treadle 16, and the treadle and rod are retained at the raisedposition by means of a spring or springs 17, (one only being shown,) oneend of said springs being connected to the lower end of the rod or thetreadle and the other end to arm 11 or to a hub 18, depending therefrom,the function of the hub being simply to provide additional bearing forthe rod. At the upper end of rod 14 and rigidly secured there- 5 5 to isa carrier 19, which is provided with a recess 20, adapted to receive thecrown of a hat 1), the crown of the hat .appearing in dotted lines only.The top 'of the carrier is provided with pins 9, appearing in dottedlines only,which are adapted to engage corresponding holes in the underside of a curling-block C. The hats to be operated upon while still onthe curling-blocks are retained in position by simply placing eachcurling-block over the carrier, the crown of the hat being downward andpins 9 engaging the holes in the block.

D denotes an arm carried by a sleeve 21, which is adapted to be rotatedon rod 12. This sleeve rests upon the hub 22 of a bevel gear-wheel E,which is rigidly secured to the rod, as by a set-screw 23. At the lowerend of the rod and rigidly secured thereto is a suitable holder F,against which the brim of the hat rests when the carrier andcurlingblock-are held at their normal position by springs 17, as inFig. 1. It will be noted (see Fig. 1) that a catch 24 is provided, whichis adapted to be engaged by the treadle to retain the carrier out ofoperative position and in convenient position for the attachment orremoval of a curling-block.

G denotes a head which is adapted to slide longitudinally on arm D andto be carried around thereby.

25 denotes a longitudinal shaft suitably journaled in the arm andcarrying a bevelpinion 26, which engages fixed bevel gearwheel E on rod12.

H denotes a pinion, which is connected to shaft 25 by aspline-and-groove connection, as at 27, so as to leave said pinion freeto slide longitudinally on the shaft, the pinion, however, being carriedby the shaft when the 5 latter is rotated. The pinion is shown asprovided with a hub 28, having a groove 29,which is engaged by a lug 30,extending from some portion of the head, so that longitudinal movementof the head upon the arm will also move the pinion longitudinally on theshaft. The special construction of the head is of course not of theessence of my invention. It is made in convenient form for assemblingand of different parts rigidly secured together by cross-bolts 31.

The essential features of construction are an internal recess 32, arounded front 33, a slot 34 in the front, a slot 35 in the bottom, and aslot 36 in the back.

J denotes a block lying in recess 32 and adapted to slide longitudinallytherein, and 37 an arm extending rearwardly from said block and passingthrough slot 36.

38 denotes a groove in arm 37, which is en gaged bya cam-gear K, havinga hub 39 and mounted to turn on a stud 40, which is tapped into the backof the head. This cam-gear meshes with sliding pinion H, said cam-gear,pinion, bevel-pinion 26, and bevel gear-Wheel E being so proportionedrelatively as regards number of teeth as to just produce two revolutionsof cam-gear K each time the rotating head is swung around rod 12. Theshape of cam-gearK is such as to give it a cam action upon the walls ofgroove 38 and cause it to move arm 37, and with it block J, in and outonce during each rotation of the'cam-gear and twice during each rotationof the arm and head about rod 12, as will be more fully explained.

L denotes the cutter, which must obviously have three movements toenable it to trim the edge of a curled hat-brimz'. 6., it must have avertical reciprocatory movement to enable it to follow the rise and fallof the curl at the sides of the brim, it must have a longitudinalreciprocatory movement to provide for the constantly-varying diameter ofthe oval of a hat-brim, and itmust have an axial movement to enable itto maintain a position tangential at all times to the curve of the brim.These movements are produced as follows: The shank 41 of the cutter ispivoted at the outer end of arm 42, which extends forward from a blockM, adapted to move vertically in a correspondingly-shaped recess inblock J, said arm passing through a slot 43 in block J and through slot34 in the front of head G. The lower end of block M extends downwardthrough slot 35 in the bottom of head G and is provided with a ring 44for convenience in operation.

45 denotes a suitable bolt or catch on the under side of block J andlying in slot 35, which is adapted to engage a hole in the back of blockM for the purpose of locking said block and with it the cutter downwardand out of operative position. I have shown the shank of cutter L asprovided with a flange 46, which rests upon the top of arm 42, and thecutter and shank as retained in place in the arm by means of a pin 47,which passes through the shank below the arm.

As stated above, it is necessary that the cut made by the cutter intrimming ahat-brim be at all times tangential to the curve of the voicesbrim. In order to insure that the cutter will automatically assume andremain in this tangential position, I place the cutting edge wholly backof the axis of shank 41 and radial thereto, as in Fig. 5, or elseprovide the cutter with a guide 43, as in the other figures of thedrawings, in which the cutter is located centrally to the axis of theshank. Guide 48 when used is preferably made of wire and is so shaped asto provide surfaces 49, which engage the brim on opposite sides of thecutter, and thereby oscillate the cutter just sufficiently to cause itto follow the curve of the brim and to act at all times in alinetangential thereto. The guide may be dispensed with and precisely thesame result attained by setting the forward end of the cutter back ofthe axis of the shank, as in Fig. 5, from which arrangement itnecessarily results, the head being pressed forward at all times, sothat rounded front 34 will engage the edge of the brim, that the cutterwill follow the line of the curve.

Block M and with it arm 42 and the cutter are normally held up, so thatthe cutter will act on a hat-brim by means of a spring 50. In thedrawings I have shown aclock-spring made use of for this purpose andhave shown said spring as provided with Winding mechanism 51, by which Iam enabled to adjust the tension of the spring to suit the specialrequirements of different styles of hat-bodies. The entire head and withit of course the cutter and sliding pinion Hare held forward, so thatthe rounded front 33 of the head will press upon the edge of a hat-brimby means of a spring 52, preferably a clock-spring, as shown in thedrawings, which is also provided with winding mechanism, (not shown inthe drawings,) but which may be identical with winding mechanism 51illustrated in connection with spring 50. Arm D is shown as providedwith a handle 53 for convenience in swinging said arm and with it thehead around rod 12, and the head is shown as provided with a handle 54for convenience in drawing it back against the power of spring 52.

55 denotes a pin in head G, which when the head is retracted is adaptedto drop into a hole 56 in arm D and to lock the head in the retractedposition.

57 is a round bar, or, if preferred, a roller may be provided, overwhich the spring passes, by which block M and the cutter are held at theraised position.

The operation of the machine as a whole is briefly as follows: The headis drawn back against the power of spring 52 and locked in the retractedposition by pin or any simple form of locking device and block M. Arm 42and the cutter may be drawn down against the power of spring 50 and, ifrequired, locked in the lowered position by means of bolt 45 or anysimple form of locking device. No special mechanism is required forholding hats in place, for the reason that they are operated upon beforebe- IIO ing removed from the curling-blocks, it being simply necessaryto place a curling-block, with a hat thereon, in position on thecarrier, pins in either the carrier or the block registering with holesin the other part. Unlike most machines of this general character, in'my novel machine the hats are operated upon when the crowns aredownward, the cutter operating from below instead of from above. Inplacing a block in position on a carrier the latter may be drawn downagainst the power of springs 17 by means of the treadle, and, ifnecessary, the treadle may be locked at the lowered position by means ofcatch 24. Having placed a hat in position on the carrier, springs 17 areallowed to raise the carrier so that the under side of the brim of thehat upon the curling-block (the under side of the brim being nowuppermost, as in Fig. 1) will be pressed against holder F. The head isnow released, so that spring 52 will draw it forward and cause therounded front 33 of the'head to press against the edge of the hatbrim,and if block M has been locked at the lowered position it is releasedand spring 50 is allowed to draw block M, arm 42, and the cutter upward,the cutter of course passing into and cutting the hat-brim and flange4.6 resting against the top of the curl, (the brim being new in invertedposition.) The cutter is of course made just sufficient height above theflange to cut through the hat-brim, but without anything more thanlightly touching the brim-flange of the curling-block. It will of coursebe understood that the several steps I have described are all performedeven by a person not an expert in much less time than it takes todescribe them. The operation of trimming a brim is effected bysimplyswinging arm D and the head once around on rod 12. The variation in thewidth of the curlis determined by the degree of offset of camgear K. Bythat I mean the diiterence between the width of the curl at the ends andat the sides. The cam-gear maybe described as a gear-wheel whose sidesform a return spiral inclinethat is, a spiral incline which makes ahalf-turn and then instead of continuing downward inclines upward to thestarting-pointwhat I term the ofiset of the cam -gear being clearlyillustrated in Fig. 3. If the curl is but little wider at the sides thanat the ends, the cam-gear is required to have but little ofiset, or, inother words, but little pitch to the spiral. If a wider curl is requiredat'the sides of the brim, a cam-gear having a greater offset, as seen inFig. 3, is required--that is, the pitch of the spiral must be greater.The starting width of the curl-that is, the width at the ends of thehat-brim-ver y rarely changes at all. It is fixed, of course, by adefinite arrangement relatively to each other of the cutter, groove 38,and the engaging edge of the cam-gear when the cutter is at either endof the hat, although it does not make the slightest difference at whatportion of the brim the trimming operation is commenced. The position ofthe hat in the form illustrated is always the same; but the cutter maystart at any portion of the brim and is simply required to be passedonce around. In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 2 arm D and thehead have made an eighth of a revolution from one end of the hat and thecam-gear has made a quarter-revolution, which places the cutter at thefirst quarter of the brim. A half-revolution of the cam-gear will placethe cam-gear, arms 37 and 42, block J, and the cutter at just thereverse of the position shown in Fig. 1, and the cutter will be actingupon the side of the brim, at which point the curl will be widest. Atthe completion of the revolution of the cam-gear the cam-gear, arms 37and 42, block J, and the cutter will again be in the position shown inFig. l; but arm I) and the head will be in the reverse of the positiontherein shown-that is to say, they will have passed half-way around rod12. The cutter will now be acting at the opposite end of the hat fromwhere it started, the cam-gear making, of course, another completerevolution during the last half of the rotation of arm D and the head,so that when the arm and headagain reach the position shown in Fig. 1the cam-gear, arms 37 and a2, block J, and the cutter will be at theposition therein shown the second time. As soon as the trimming of abrim has been completed block M is moved downward sufficiently todisengage the cutter from the brim. The head is moved backward and maybe locked in the retracted position, after which the carrier is moveddownward, the curlingblock and hat removed, and another curlingblock andhat placed upon the carrier, after which the operation is repeated, asbefore, the

entire operation of putting a hat in the Inachine, trimming the brim,removing it, and placing another hat in position to be operated uponrequiring but an instants time.

I have deemed it sufficient for the purposes of this specification andas clearly setting forth the principle of my invention to illustrate aform in which the carrier, holder, and bevel gear-wheel remainstationary and the arm rotates. I wish it distinctly understood,however, that I do not limit myself to this arrangement, as it isequally within the scope of my invention to reverse the arrangement andmake the arm stationary and the carrier, holder, and bevel gear-wheelrotatable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. In a machine of thecharacter described the combination with a curling-block carrier havinga recess to receive the crown of a hat and also having means forconnecting a hatcurling block therewith with the hat-crown in saidrecess, of a cutter, an element by which said cutter is carried and withreference to which the cutter has oscillatory movement, and mechanismwhereby said cutter is moved vertically and longitudinally to conform tothe curvature of the brim. 2. In a machine of the character describe thecombination with a curling-block carrier and means for holding a curledhat rigidly while on a curling-block and with the crown downward, of acutter acting from below the brim and means for causing said cutter toact in a plane tangential to the curve of the brim.

3. In a machine of the character described the combination with meansfor holding a curled hat with the crown downward, of a cuttcr actingfrom below the brim and mechanism whereby said cutter is movedvertically and longitudinally to conform to the curvature of the brim.

4. In a machine of the character described the combination with meansfor holding a curled hat, of a rotating arm, a longitudinallymovinghead. on said arm, a longitudinallymoving block J within the head, averticallymoving block M carried by block J and an oscillating cuttercarried by block M.

5. In a machine of the character described the combination with alongitudinally-movable head, a block J longitudinally movable within thehead, a block M vertically movable in block J and an oscillating cuttercarried by block M, of a carrier for a curled hat, and an arm by whichthe head is carried and means whereby one of said parts may be rotated.

6. In a machine of the character described the combination with meansfor holding a curled hat and a bevel gear-wheel E, of arm D, a headlongitudinally movable on said arm and carrying a shaft with a bevelgear-Wheel engaging gear-wheel E, a block J within the head, connectionsintermediate the shaft and the block whereby the latter is movedlongitudinally independently of the head, a block M vertically movablein block J and an oscillating cutter carried by block M.

7. In a machine of the character described the combination with meansfor holding a curled hat and a bevel gear-Wheel E, of arm D, a headlongitudinally movable on said arm,'a shaft journaled in said arm andcarrying a bevel-pinion engaging the gear-wheel, pinion H having agroove 29, said pinion bein g carried by the shaft but free to slidethereon and said head having a lug engaging the groove, a block J withinthe head, an arm extending from said block and having a groove 38, astud extending from the head, a cam-gear mounted on said stud andengaging the sliding pinion and groove 38, a block M vertically movablein block J and an oscillating cutter'carried by block M.

8. In a machine of the character described the combination with meansfor holding a curled hat, arm D and the sliding head having. a frontadapted to engage a hat-brim, of a spring for holding the front of thehead in engagement with the hat-brim, a block J,

block M vertically movable in block J, an oscillating cutter carried byblock M, a spring for holding said block up so that the cutter willalways engage the brim and means for imparting longitudinal movement toblock J independently of the head so that the curl may be given anyrequired width at the ends and sides.

9. In a machine of the character described the combination with arm D, ashaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft and adaptedto slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted to slide onsaid arm and having a lug engaging groove 29, a block J in said head, anarm extending from said block and having a groove 38, a stud extendingfrom the head, a cam-gear mounted on said stud and engaging the slidingpinion and groove 38 whereby longitudidal movement is imparted to blockJ independently of the head, a vertically-movable block M in block J andan oscillating cutter carried by block M.

.10....In a machine of the character described the combination with armD, a shaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft andadapted to slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted toslide on said arm and having a lug engaging groove 29,a spring formoving said head forward on the arm, means for locking said head in theretracted position against the power of the spring, a block J in saidhead, an arm extending from said block and having a groove 38, a studextending from the head, a cam-gear mounted on said stud and engagingthe sliding pinion and groove 38, a vertically-movable block M in blockJ and an oscillating cutter carried by block M.

11. In a machine of the character described the combination with arm D,a shaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft and adaptedto slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted to slide onsaid arm and having a lug engaging groove 29, a block J in said head,connections intermediate block J and the sliding pinion whereby saidblock is moved longitudinally independently of the head, avertically-movable block M in block J, an oscillating cutter carried byblock M, a spring for holding block M and the cutter in operativeposition and means for locking block M in the retracted position againstthe power of the spring.

12. In a machine of the character described the combination with arm D,a shaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft and adaptedto slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted to slide onsaid arm and having a lug engaging groove 29, a spring for moving saidhead forward on the arm, a block J in said head, connectionsintermediate block J and the sliding pinion whereby said block is movedlongitudinally independently of the head, a vertically-movable block Min block J and an oscillating cutter carried by block M.

13. In a machine of the character described thecombination with arm D, ashaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft and adaptedto slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted to slide onsaid arm and having a lug engaging groove 20 and a slot 36, a block J insaid head having an arm 37 which extends through slot 36 and is providedwith a groove 38, a stud extending from the head, a cam-gear mounted onsaid stud and engaging the sliding pinion and groove 38, avertically-movable block M in block J and an oscillating cutter carriedby block M.

14. In a machine of the character described the combination with arm D,a shaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft and adaptedto slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted to slide onsaid arm and having a lug engaging groove 29 and a slot 35, a block J insaid head, connections intermediate block J and the sliding pinionwhereby said block is moved longitudinally independently of the head, ablock M lying in block J and extending through said slot, a spring bywhich block M is held up, an oscillating cutter carried by block M andmeans for retaining'said block and the cutter at a retracted positionagainst the power of the spring.

15. In a machine of the character described the combination with arm I),a shaft journaled therein and a pinion carried by said shaft and adaptedto slide thereon and having a groove 29, of a head adapted to slide onsaid arm and having a lug engaging groove 29 and a slot 34, a block J insaid head having a slot 43, connections intermediate block J and thesliding pinion whereby said block is moved longitudinally independentlyof the head, a vertically-movable block M in block J, said block Mhaving an arm 42 extending through slots 43 and 34 and an oscillatingcutter carried by said arm.

16. In a machine of the character described the combination with arm D,a head adapted to slide thereon and a block within the head having anarm extending therefrom with a groove 38, of a shaft journaled in thearm, a pinion carried by said shaft and free to slide thereon, means forconnecting the sliding pinion to the head so that the head will move thepinion on the shaft, a stud extending from the head and a cam-gearmounted on the stud and engaging the sliding gear and groove 38 wherebythe block is moved longitudinally independently of the head.

17. In a hat-brim-trimming machine, the combination with the cutterLhavinga shank 41 and a cutting edge radial to the axis of the saidshank, of means for supporting a hat with its brim in position to betrimmed by said cutter.

18. In ahat-brim-trimming machine, the combination with the cutterLhaving a shank 451, a flange 46, anda cutting edge above the flange andextending radial to the axis of the shank, of means for supporting a hatwith its brim in position to be trimmed by said cutter.

19. In a machine of the character described the combination with acarrier adapted to receive a hat upon a curling-block, a holder F andmeans for pressing the hat against the holder, of arm D, the slidinghead, sliding block J within the head, sliding block M within block Jand an oscillating cutter carried by block M.

2O. In a machine of the character described the combination with acarrier adapted to receive a hat upon a curling-block, a holder F, meansfor pressing the hat against the holder and means for lowering thecarrier against the power of the spring and for locking the carrier outof operative position, of arm D, the sliding head, sliding block'Jwithin the head, sliding block M within block J and an oscillatingcutter carried by block M.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK O. ORAW.

W'itnesses:

A. M. Woosrnn, S. W. ATHERTON.

